I Think

Unrelated:

I've got one of those electronic thingies that unlocks my car. But I rode my electric bicycle to work today. Got to the office and pointed the electronic thingy at the door to unlock it.

That is something I would likely do.

Since I don't have classes on Fridays, Thursdays are my Fridays. I'm using that excuse, whether it makes sense or not. After all, it's Friday.

I wonder who watches ABC's Five Hundred Questions. At first I did not tune in. But I slowly became hooked. It runs so long for enough nights that I can't watch it all. I haven't seen anybody get beyond about 155 questions, so far. The last guy was good on the difficult questions, but got tripped up on Bat Masterson and Simon and Garfunkle.

All the people driving into deep water. If I were to do that, which I do not plan to even think about trying, I would first put on a life jacket, before getting into the car. And if at all possible, drive with the window open, especially an electrically operated one. These things might not be any help in some scenarios, but they might save my life.

Misfit Chew Toys

That's no fair! You found his hiding spot! Poor Rocky.

That's where I pitch them when mowing the yard.

Ah ha! Maybe that's why he barks and attacks everything. He thinks there are thieves around stealing his chew toys.

Now you can clean them up and give them to him again. He'll never know the difference.

He is very particular about his chew toys. But the blue one is the one he puts in his bowl when he eats, puts it on my lap when I watch TV, sleeps with it. When we lost the old blue one, he used a substitute red one. But when we found the blue one again (under the bed) he went back to it. As it began to get too worn, we bought him another one. For a time, he used them interchangeably, but eventually, he forgot the old one.

The weather will moderate tomorrow and we will dry out. Soon I can get back to my projects.
About the only exercise I have been getting is the barbell and a bit of walking. Not good.

The moringa is the most unusual plant it has been my privilege to take care of. Two winters ago it froze to ground level, but grew in the spring into two separate plants off the same root system. About two months ago, a storm blew it all down with such force, it snapped off one tree right above the ground. Shortly, a new one sprouted off of the broken tree's root and is now nearly a foot high. The broken off tree, I let stand alongside the healthy one, because it was in the supporting net and wire support I have up to prevent a repeat of the falling down. Yesterday, I saw that the broken off tree must have taken root, because it has new growth at the top. And the rain, far from inhibiting growth, has helped the moringa grow lots of new branches.

The sun shone much of the day. I spent a great deal of time getting my work set up and even had time to put together the framework for my first table top. It is going much smoother than the other one I made, some months ago. The work platform has been perfect. I haven't been on my knees at all, so far.

Thinking about Andrew and CI.

Had a fright, re my son. He has been online just about every day. Then suddenly not. And my efforts to contact him went nowhere. After about a week, I contacted a girl he knew locally, where he is living, via facebook and she spent three days tracking him. The first person she contacted was his roommate, who said he simply disappeared, without taking any of his belongings. Finally learned he is sitting a frail old man, while the man's son is out of town. Plus, he broke his phone. I tell you, the boy may be forty, but he's just a kid as far as I am concerned. I will worry about him til the day I die, apparently.

Four monks decided to meditate silently without speaking for two weeks. By nightfall on the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out. The first monk said, "Oh, no! The candle is out." The second monk said, "Aren't we not suppose to talk?" The third monk said, "Why must you two break the silence?" The fourth monk laughed and said, "Ha! I'm the only one who didn't speak."

I finished off an octagon table today. It was pretty easy to build, while keeping the project on top of the raised work platform. Had to let it down on the ground to install the benches. I now have an accurate list of what to buy and a few new tricks to make the work go smoothly. Still need to total the material cost, before considering how much to ask for it.

I saw a hexagon table online. Before counting angles, it looks exactly like my octagon. Difference is, it seats two less people than does mine. And requires less work. Asking price: $979. But they deliver for that. I plan to tell the customer to bring a friend to help load it on their own vehicle.

You could sell yours for $650 and package 2 freeloading relatives with them that help with delivery.

A material list for these things, including lumber, screws and glue, is just about $180. Exterior use screws are unbelievably expensive these days. If I decided to use redwood or cedar, it would cost still more. Houston is a capitol of termites and that's why I prefer pressure treated boards.

The possums have moved from my yard, into the neighbor's. She had a trap set for a cat and caught a possum instead. She called animal control, who told her they don't mess with wild animals. So she called on a neighborhood friend and got him to shoot it. I guess that's no worse than Rocky mauling them to death. I figure there are two more of the young and then the parents. I am hoping they don't migrate back into my yard.